Side shields, particularly in combination with leading or trailing shields, may be desired in conventional magnetic recording transducers, particular perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) transducers. Side shields in combination with trailing shields that surround the sides and trailing edge of the main PMR pole are termed wraparound shields. Some conventional wraparound shields may be formed on poles that are dry etched. In such conventional PMR transducers, the ferromagnetic material for the PMR pole may be blanket deposited. A portion of the ferromagnetic material is then removed, typically through a dry etch process. The PMR pole is thus formed. Side and top gaps are deposited, followed by the conventional side and trailing edge shields. Although a wraparound shield for such a conventional PMR transducer may be formed, the on-track field and field gradient may be compromised. Further, the performance of such a conventional PMR pole may be more sensitive to dimensional variations in fabrication. Consequently, the magnetic trackwidth and performance may be subject to undesirable variations.
Other conventional methods allow for formation of side shields without requiring the main pole to be trimmed. FIG. 1 depicts a conventional method 10 for fabricating a conventional PMR transducer having a wraparound shield without trimming of the main pole. The conventional method 10 commences by blanket depositing a magnetic material used for the conventional side shield, via step 12. Step 12 includes plating a NiFe layer. A trench for the conventional main pole is formed in the NiFe layer, via step 14. The trench for the conventional main pole has a reverse angle. Thus, the top of the trench is wider than the bottom of the trench. The trench is formed in step 14 by performing a NiFe reactive ion etch (RIE). A nonmagnetic layer is then deposited in the trench, via step 16. The nonmagnetic layer is used to form a side gap between the side shield and the conventional main pole. The conventional main pole may then be provided on the nonmagnetic layer, via step 18. Typically, step 18 includes depositing the material for the conventional main pole followed by a planarization, such as a chemical mechanical planarization (CMP). Fabrication of the conventional transducer may then be completed. For example, a write gap, trailing edge shield, coils, and other components may be fabricated.
FIG. 2 depicts air-bearing surface (ABS) and side views of a conventional, magnetic transducer 50. For clarity, FIG. 2 is not drawn to scale and only certain structures are depicted. The conventional transducer 50 includes a conventional side shield 52, a conventional nonmagnetic layer 54, and a conventional main pole 56. The conventional nonmagnetic layer 54 separates the conventional main pole 56 from the conventional side shield 52. Also shown are a write gap 58 and conventional trailing edge shield 60. Conventional coils 62 are depicted by dotted lines in the plan view of the conventional transducer 50.
Although the conventional method 10 allows the conventional transducer 50 to be fabricated, there are several drawbacks. The NiFe RIE performed in step 14 may be difficult to control. In particular, forming a trench having the desired reverse angle and other features may be problematic. Performance of the resulting conventional PMR transducer may, therefore, suffer. The conventional side shield 52 also surrounds the conventional main pole 56. As a result, it may be difficult to separately control the geometry of the conventional side shield 52 and the geometry of the conventional main pole 56. In addition, because of the location of the coils 62, the conventional side shield 52 may be at least partially driven by the current through the coils 62. As a result, performance of the conventional side shield 52 may suffer.
Accordingly, what is needed is a system and method for improving the fabrication of a magnetic recording head having side shields.